Spring-motor



(No Medal.)

G. H. LEWIS.

SPRING MOTOR.

No. 697,541. Patented Jan. 18,1898.

Miwd V 8,8 61% UNITED STATES PATENT @rrien.

GEORGE H. LEXVIS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SPRING-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 597,541, dated January18, 1898.

Application filed September 18, 1896. Serial No. 606,290. (No model.)

To (all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, GEORGE I-I. LEWIS, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpring-Motors; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame. I

My invention relates to spring-motors.

My object is to provide an extremely simple and cheap spring-motor whichwill be of such novel and improved construction that it will beautomatic in its action and will require but a small amountof power tokeep it in continued operation, so that it will be peculiarly adaptableto bicycles and other vehicles, but can be used to great advantage inmany other connections.

Having this object in view, my invention.

consists of a spring-motor of novel and improved construction, as willappear more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of myimproved spring-motor, and Fig. 2 a side elevation showing the frame insection.

The numeral 1 designates the frame that carries the operative parts ofthe device, and this frame can be made in different shapes to suit thestructure or machine to which it is to be applied.

The numerals 2 designate two shafts, on each of which is located aspiral spring 3, which has one of its ends connected to the frame andits other end secured to the shaft.

The numerals 4t designate pinions which are secured on the shaft 2.There are two other shafts 6 6, which are located above shafts 2 and arejournaled in the sides of the frame. Each shaft carries a gear 5, whichmeshes with its respective pinion. The inner ends of these shaftsterminate in arms having slotted jaws 9, which extend at right angles tothe length of the shaft.

At 7 7 are shown two levers, each of which is provided with a pin 8 atits upper end and which are received in the jaws 9, the lower ends ofsaid levers being hinged to the frame. It will be observed that theselevers are each provided with an open link portion '7for the receptionof a shaft 10, which is journaled in the frame and carries on its end afly-wheel :21.

The numeral 11 designates a broad ratchetwheel which is secured to shaft10.

At 12 12 are shown two ratchets which are pivoted to the respectivelevers '7 and are pressed against the ratchet-wheel by respectivesprings 13 13. There are two additional levers 14 14, which are hingedto the frame at one end, and each is provided with an open link 14 forthe reception of the shafts 6. On the free end of each of these leversis located a pin 15.

At 16 16 are shown two double tappets which have their longitudinal axeslocated at right angles and are secured to the shaft 10, being adaptedto come in engagement with the pins 15.

The numerals 17 1'7 designate arms which are connected to the levers 14.On the free ends of these arms there are located rollers or pulleys 1S.

The numerals 2O 20 designate pulleys which are secured to shafts 2 2,and 19 19 represent metallic ribbons which have one end connected to theshafts 6 and the other end secured to the pulley and adapted to windthereon.

It will be observed that owing to the disposition of the tappets one ofthem is always in engagement with the pin of one of the levers 14., sothat one of the springs is normally wound, while the other lever is freeand the other spring is unwound. The springs keep the ribbons 19 bearingagainst the rollers 18.

The operation is as follows: The free lever is pressed toward the left,(see Fig. 2,) and when this is done its arm 17 by engagement with themetallic ribbon turns the pulley and winds up the spring. When this isdone, shaft 2 is turned and the engagement of the pinion 4 and gear 5causes the shaft 6 to turn, whereupon the jaw 9 will be moved and by itsengagement with pin 8 will push the lever 7 so that the pawl thereofwill ride idly on the ratchet-wheel. hen the pressure is released on thelever 14, the spring will assert itself and cause an opposite action, sothat the pawl will engage with the ratchet-wheel and turn the same,simultaneously causing the other tappet to disengage itself from theother repeating-lever 14, (which has been pressed toward the left,) sothat the spring that actuates the latter lever will begin to unwind,whereupon said lever 14 will be urged toward the right and the otherlever 7 will be made to actuate the ratchet-wheel. The other tappet willthen engage with the other repeatinglever and lock it so that theoperation can be repeated. Thus it will be seen that while one spring iswinding the other is unwinding, and the motor needs but little power tokeep it in continuous operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a spring-motor, the combination with pivoted levers, of shafts,springs having one end connected to the shafts and the other fixed,pulleys on said shafts, ribbons connected to the pulleys and havingtheir other ends fixed, an operative connection between the levers andthe ribbons, a drive-shaft, and operative connections between said shaftand the levers.

2. In a spring-motor, the combination with pivoted levers, of shafts,spiral springs having one end connected to the shafts and the other endfixed, pulleys secured on the shafts, ribbons having one end connectedto the pulley and the other end fixed, arms connected to the levers andprovided with rollers on their ends which bear against the ribbons, adrive-shaft, and operative connections between the levers and saidshaft.

3. In a spring-motor, the combination with pivoted levers, ofspring-rotated shafts, operative connections between the respectivelevers and the respective shafts, additional piv- 'ative connectionsbetween said shafts and the levers, pinions on the shafts, additionalshafts having arms provided with slotted jaws,

gears on said shafts meshing With the pinion,

additional pivoted levers provided with pins which are received in theslotted jaws, a main shaft, a ratchet-wheel on said shaft, and

pawls connected to the last-named levers and adapted for engagement withthe ratchetwheel.

5. In a springmotor, the combination with pivoted levers, ofspring-rotated shafts, operative connections between'therespectivelevers and the respective shafts, additional pivoted leversalso operatively connected to the respective shafts, a main shaft, aratchet-wheel. carried thereby, pawls connected to the lastnamed leversand adapted for connection with the ratchet-wheel, and tappets havingtheir axes located at right angles and connected to the main-shaft,being adapted for engagement with the first-named levers.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE I-I. LEYVIS.

